Fiction: Little Jesse | Usha Thomas, USA

It was a pleasant evening in the small town of Bethsaida ;
little Jesse was on the way back from his aunt’s house. He was walking under the shade of the mountains. The breeze from the Sea of Galilee was very refreshing. He enjoyed these trips to his aunt’s house because he could play with his cousins. She cooked delicious meals and always packed food for him and his mom.
He wished he wasn’t poor , and he wished his dad was alive. Jesse started to think about how things were different before his dad passed away . His dad would take him to the Galilee shore for fishing . Those days were full of fun. He would tell him stories of Abraham , Isaac , Moses, about the ten plagues , about the prophets Elijah , Jonah and so on . He was a good dad .
Why did he have to die ? He often wanted to ask his mom but knowing that it would make her sad , he kept all the questions to himself .
He felt sad looking at the water from far because the water always reminded him of his dad . He remembered how everything was plentiful when his dad was alive . His dad was one of the most prominent fishermen there .
After he died , his mother started going to work in the nearby fields during harvest seasons , or to work at the vine press , but it wasn’t always enough . She never complained even after his dad passed away . She always said that Jehovah is a good God and he will never harm the people who trust in Him . She talked about the coming Messiah , the king of the Jews .
When He comes there will not be any sorrow or pain for He is going to save Israell .

The noise from a huge crowd coming from the opposite side woke him up from his thoughts . Jesse didn’t know what was happening and didn’t think it was time for any festival . He had never seen such a large crowd . He tried to listen carefully to what these people were talking about and where they were going. He even saw some people from his village and heard them talking about a prophet doing miracles . He also heard someone shouting that the Messiah has come. There’s a prophet in town. Could he be the Messiah that mom has been talking about all this time ?.
Could he do some miracle in our life also ? Jesse knew he had to meet this person.

He started running in the direction of the crowd. Jesse ran fast and managed to be in the front. Breathing fast and heavy from the running , Jesse looked for someone in a royal robe or a kingly person surrounded by many servants , but he didn’t see anything like that . He counted thirteen people up on the hill .
As the crowd approached, all but one started to come down the hill .

Jesse looked at the person on the hilltop , Will he be the prophet ? Will he be the Messiah ? Why does he look so ordinary ?.
Is he able to do any miracles ? Can he take away the poverty and the sadness from my house ? The man on the hilltop gestured to people to be quiet . He told them that his name is Jesus . Jesus talked about the Kingdom of God . He even told some stories.

Jesus reminded him of his dad as he spoke to the people with such compassion . Children sat next to him . Jesus talked about loving God and loving one another . Though He looked like an ordinary person , Jesse felt extraordinary power in his speech . The most exciting part was when Jesus began healing all kinds of sick people.
Jesse couldn’t believe what he was witnessing !!.
He didn’t know there were so many sick people . Jesus was healing the blind , the deaf , the mute , the lame and all kinds of sick people !!.

It was getting late and Jesse felt a bit tired . Jesus was done preaching . People were getting ready to leave so they could reach their homes before night . Jesse thought he would leave too , but soon he heard Jesus’ friends asking the crowd if anyone has any food with them . No one replied . Was Jesus hungry ? Jesse thought , Jesse couldn’t believe that all these elders didn’t bring any food, and he knew that they didn’t want to share even if they had it. Jesse touched his bag for the bread and the fish his aunt gave him. If he gave it away, him and his mom would be going hungry tomorrow. The next day is Sabbath and his mom won’t be able to work and there won’t be any food in the house. They still kept asking if anyone had food;
Jesse couldn’t wait anymore and he told the man that he had five loaves of bread and two fish with him.

“Come with me lad”.
He took him where Jesus was standing.
“Rabbi, this boy has five loaves of bread and two fish with him.”
Jesus looked at Jesse and smiled at him. He felt something when Jesus looked at him; something like a deep connection, as if he knew him from before. Jesus asked his friend to get the food from Jesse and told his other friends to make everyone sit in rows.

Jesse couldn’t believe what happened from there. Jesus took the bread and the fish, blessed the food and started to break it. He kept on breaking it, and his friends brought baskets and baskets and kept on filling each one. Then they started giving it to everyone, the whole crowd. Jesse heard them saying it was five thousand men and their families!!..
WOW!!..

Jesse felt so special.
He was so excited because Jesus used his food to feed the whole crowd. He couldn’t contain the happiness in his heart, and his face was glowing with excitement. He saw Jesus looking at him. He called him and said, “Jessiah, come here”.
“How did He know my name?”, Jesse wondered, for no one calls him Jessiah. Jesus told him how happy he was when Jesse gave up his food for Him. He also told him to tell his mom that he saw the Messiah.
People started leaving.
It was getting late and his mom would worry. Jesse’s heart was still jumping with joy and everything felt like a dream. He felt the sadness from his heart was gone, and he felt joyful like when his dad was alive. When he was about to leave, the same friend of Jesus who took food from him brought a basket full of fish and bread, and said, “Rabbi wants you to take this to your house”. He was very happy and turned to Jesus to say thank you, but there were people around him. Jesus smiled and waved at him. Jesse smiled back and left. Jesse knew his life was changed forever. He saw the Messiah, the Savior!!.. He was part of a big miracle!!.. He walked as fast as he could to tell his mom about all that had happened!!.. Little did Jesse know that he became part of the history of all times. He is in the pages of the greatest history book and the living word of God: The Bible!!..

Usha Thomas,
Maryland, USA.

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